Business In Bangladesh Research Articles

Impact of COVID-19 on Agro business in Bangladesh

COVID-19 has become an alarming pandemic for our earth. It has created panic not only in China but also in developing countries like Bangladesh. The COVID-19 pandemic has significant implications, including financial, economic, and social effects. It has caused massive negative impacts, especially in the agricultural sector. In rural areas, the poor farmers, dairy farmers, vegetable producers, poultry farmers are in deep crisis due to lower prices and lockdown issues. In this paper, we have summarized the Impact of COVID-19 on the Agro business in Bangladesh. The effects of the pandemic cannot be mitigated individually, but an integrated effort on the part of the state authority and the part of people from all sectors need to come forward.

Do guidelines grind throughout crisis? Services Blueprint on Hotel Business in Bangladesh during Covid-19 Pandemic

Do guidelines grind throughout crisis? Services Blueprint on Hotel Business in Bangladesh during Covid-19 Pandemic

Customers’ Problems in Buying from Supermarkets in Bangladesh

Consumers' preferences, satisfaction and, loyalty towards supermarkets in Bangladesh have been studied but this study aims to identify the customers' problem in buying from the supermarkets and their socio-economic characteristics along with present scenario and economic significance of the supermarket industry in Bangladesh. The study is empirical, mixed-method has been deployed, 400 customers of the supermarkets were surveyed by mall intercept technique through a questionnaire, 6 in-depth interviews were conducted with the supermarkets' professionals and relevant articles, publication, books, reports, journals, newspapers and websites were reviewed. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and factor analysis were performed in analyzing the data. There are 211 outlets of major supermarkets in Bangladesh, which are contributing 1.49 % to the GDP and generating significant employment. Upper-middle and high class, highly educated, small family are the customers who face the major problems of high cost due to additional tax, long waiting time at the payment queue, and unnecessary purchase while shopping from the supermarkets. All the demographic characteristics have a significant relationship with these problems except the marital status and family size. The supermarket industry needs to understand the customers' psychology; concentrate on enhancing the store facility, educate people on the attributes of the supermarkets and the policymakers can initiate a proper policy in operating the supermarket business in Bangladesh.

Prospects of Parasailing Activities in Bangladesh: A Study on the Opportunities and Challenges

Parasailing is considered as the modern and popular part of seaside recreational activities. Bangladesh has recently added ‘Parasailing’ to her service list in Cox’s Bazaar and Himchori in 2010. The purpose of this study is to investigate the tourists’ perceptions towards parasailing activities and to analyze the opportunities and challenges of parasailing in Bangladesh. The study is based on primary as well as secondary data, and has applied descriptive research method on the basis of data collected through a questionnaire consisting of 33 questions from 52 respondents. The reason behind choosing this topic is that ‘parasailing’ has a great opportunity in the future tourism business in Bangladesh. Moreover, the aim of this study is to spread this activity in different areas of Bangladesh, like Saint Martin’s island and Patenga sea beaches, so that tourists can enjoy the taste of same. Thinking from a commercial perspective it has a great potential of increasing recreational facilities, earning a huge amount of income, and employing many people from the local community to bring a change in their lives).

Rural women characteristics and sustainable entrepreneurial intention: a road to economic growth in Bangladesh

PurposeThis study aims to provide a better understanding of the individual-level factors that affect rural women’s sustainable entrepreneurial intention in starting and running a business in Bangladesh and contributing to national economic growth.Design/methodology/approachData from a sample of 297 rural Bangladeshi women were analysed using a quantitative approach with Smart PLS 3.0 (SEM) and SPSS V25. This was to explore the direct influence of perceived capability, social perception and individual competencies on women’s intention to become sustainable entrepreneurs. The indirect consequences of these three variables on perceived opportunity were also evaluated.FindingsThe studies confirmed a positive and significant association between perceived capability and social perception with the intention to become a sustainable entrepreneur. There is no conventional connection between women’s individual competencies and their intention to become an entrepreneur. Moreover, the data confirmed that perceived opportunity mediates the relationship between perceived capability and individual competencies with the intention to become an entrepreneur. However, no mediation role of perceived opportunity in the relationship between social perception and intention was found.Originality/valueThis study is one of very few to explore through empirical analysis the relationship between women’s individual characteristics and their intention to become sustainable entrepreneurs and to investigate whether rural women are motivated to become empowered to contribute to economic development through sustainable entrepreneurial intention.

IT Freelancing in Bangladesh: Assessment of Present Status and Future Needs

The tremendous changes that business and economic activities worldwide have gone through in the last few decades, have opened new avenues for IT Freelancing to establish itself as the next big thing in business arena. Bangladesh, transitioning to more IT-centric businesses, holds a huge potential in this domain and has already emerged as a global freelancing hub under government patronage. The main objective of this study is to assess the present status and the future needs of IT Freelancing Business in Bangladesh. This study is of descriptive nature and based on primary and secondary data. Relevant statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. The study found that, 96.2% freelancers are below 35 years old and 80.8% have completed the tertiary education. Significant gender gap exists among the freelancers in terms of participation. It is found that 73.1% freelancers are working on a part-time basis and 33% want to be IT entrepreneur. Half of the freelancers have received training from government and private IT Institutes. Most of the freelancers are satisfied with the earnings from freelancing. Freelancers have observed lack of capital and IT infrastructure support, shortage of training facilities, payment-related issues and social barriers. In order to face the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution head on, the government should take initiatives for ensuring country branding, mobilization of funds, better internet connectivity and steady flow of foreign currency earnings from IT sector and thereby actualizing the ‘Digital Bangladesh’ agenda.

Leveraging on the Urban Economy to Promote the Growth of Women-Owned Small Businesses in Bangladesh

Purpose: The contribution of small businesses to a country’s economic growth is vital. It makes sense to accentuate the small businesses by emphasizing the neglected segments. The present study aims to explore the women-owned small businesses (WOSB) and their various problems. The study also examines if the city-based features of the urban economy can be favorable to promote the growth of WOSB.
 Methods: The concept paper conducts secondary research by selecting sample literature on WOSB of Bangladesh from the manufacturing, and trading sectors. The selection and classification of extant literature were conducted by emphasizing problems faced by WOSB, and the city-based amenities of developing countries. The extracted information is analyzed by categorizing and interpreting relevant issues to create a base-model of venture-growth.
 Results: Based on the literature review, a growth-framework is formulated that reflects the issues faced by WOSB categorized as financial illiteracy, inadequate human capital, insufficient social capital, and business environmental hiccups. Also, the substandard growth of WOSB is envisaged in the model if the problems are not addressed timely. The study also discovers that the urban economy could be leveraged to make these issues less coercing for the women owners.
 Implications: The paper creates a nexus with the WOSB and the privileges of urban platforms to ensure better growth of the firms.
 Originality: As far as authors could determine, the aimed research-domain was mostly covered from the perspectives of developed countries, rarely covered in the context of developing countries, and almost absent in Bangladesh. This paper attempts to fulfill that gap.

Utilization of slaughterhouse by-products: a current scenario in Dhaka city

Slaughter-houses are the places from where people get the meat for consumption, but the time is to utilize the by-products to increase the GDP’s rate from livestock. A field survey was conducted regarding usage of the by-products of slaughterhouses and/or meat selling centers in Dhaka city of Bangladesh. Data were collected from total 60 slaughterhouses and/or meat selling centers randomly from different part of Dhaka city consisting 20 large animal (cattle, buffalo), 20 small animal (goat, sheep) and 20 poultry bird (chicken, duck) slaughterhouses and/or meat selling centers. Following slaughtering process huge amount of different by-products are also produced that have good economic and nutritive value. The results revealed that edible by-products such as head trimmings, brain, tongue, heart, stomach, lungs, liver, pancreas, spleen, kidney and tail were used by 100% as human food. Inedible by-products had diversified uses but to some extent they were also rejected. However, no one of the inedible by-products was fully rejected. Among the inedible by-products the hides had a great industrial value. Poultry by-products like blood, intestines and feather wastes were generally found to utilize as fish feed. Most slaughterhouses were found to maintain moderate to poor hygienic conditions where very few maintained good condition. Almost two-third (61.67%) slaughterhouses were used water container as water supply followed by hose pipe (33.33%) and tape water (5%) for cleaning purpose. It can be concluded that by-products are valuable materials but due to lack of management and industrial mind slaughterhouses of the Dhaka city cannot utilize those materials. Therefore, proper usages of by-products can run a new prospective business in Bangladesh.
 Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. December 2020, 6(4): 809-816

Female entrepreneurship and social capital: Exploring the relationship between social connection and women-owned social media-based businesses in Bangladesh

Businesswomen in Bangladesh are using social media to do business from their homes, in support of their financial development. Social capital theory is applied to investigate the role that family and other close and external networks play in conducting business through social media. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 businesswomen to understand why they chose social media for their business, and to identify the type of support they got from their social connections and the hurdles they encountered. Content analysis examined their Facebook and Instagram pages for two weeks to understand the support that their external networks provided. This study finds that family and other close networks encouraged women entrepreneurs with loans, free labour, and product promotions that contributed in building and sustaining the businesses, while external networks helped with more formal or institutional support. Meanwhile, customers provided intangible support that encouraged the businesswomen to start, survive, and succeed.

Incorporating SMEs in the Capital Market of Bangladesh: Obstacles, Initiatives and Potentials

The Stock Exchanges of Bangladesh have initiated a new window for small and medium enterprises so that they can get finance by issuing securities. Though 80% of the business in Bangladesh are SMEs, which are responsible for 25% of nation’s GDP and 35.49% of the total workforce, limited access to formal financing impedes their effective operations and long-term growth. As a new platform, the insights related to obstacles of listing and fundraising, regulatory issues, and the future potentials remain uncovered due to lack of research initiatives. This study addresses these insights by analyzing both primary and secondary data. The study findings outline that SMEs now have the opportunity to trade-off between loans from creditors and financing by issuing securities. The decision mostly depends on whether a firm has enough collateral to avail loan from creditors, or it is prepared enough with proper documentation, standard books of accounts and regulatory issues of the capital market. While estimated fundraising costs through the capital market stand at 0.6% to 1.03%, banks and financial institutions charge 13% to 17% for interest along with 1% to 2% for processing fees and stamp duty. However, the capital market demands limited liability company, asset valuation, standard books of accounts, tax filing, reporting and disclosure issues. The regulators have developed the platform as a learning ground by following ‘Go Easy’ principles so that the SMEs can exercise reporting and governance issues, and contribute to institute a transparent and sustainable capital market in the future. Keywords: SME, financing, capital market, small capital platform, stock exchange DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-2-03 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

Flower business in Bangladesh: A study on Jashore district

Flower business in Bangladesh: A study on Jashore district

Employees' environmentally responsible behavior: the critical role of environmental justice perception

The environmentally responsible behavior of employees at the workplace can benefit business organizations in particular and society in general. According to previous studies, positive psychological capital has been used frequently for predicting employees’ work attitudes and behaviors. In this article, we are seeking to understand whether people with a higher (lower) level of positive psychological capital − hopeful thinking, optimism, and resilience − engage more (less) in environmentally responsible behaviors in the workplace especially when they perceived a high (low) level of environmental justice To test the study hypotheses, we collected survey data from 196 randomly selected employees working in 35 private small-sized businesses in Bangladesh. This study showed that employees with higher levels of positive psychological capital engage more in environmentally responsible behaviors at the workplace. The results showed that when employees are treated fairly in the workplace, those with a high level of hopeful thinking and resilience are more likely to engage in environmentally responsible behaviors at work.

EXPERIENCES OF RESTAURANT BUSINESS IN THE COVID-19: EVIDENCE FROM RAJSHAHI CITY, BANGLADESH

The restaurant business in Bangladesh has no institutional recognition. It has no mentionable business guidelines and juridical structures to combat any epidemic like coronavirus diseas-19 (COVID-19). Because of not having a legitimate basis this sector is suffering a serious financial crisis in the global pandemic. Revenues generating ability has drastically decreased when the government ordered for shutting down the non-essential organization to fight against the spreading the coronavirus. At the same time government also imposes stay order on various special programs like weeding, birthday, new-year celebration, and Iftar party which is directly related to restaurant business. This article, therefore, focuses on the impact of COVID-19 in the restaurant business in Bangladesh. Data were collected through purposive sampling method through a questionnaire. For analyzing the data the statistical package for the social science (SPSS) v. 24.0 was applied. Datasets were analyzed with a statistical tool named Pearson’s correlation coefficient (PCC). Descriptive statistics such as the frequency distribution and graph were also used for presenting and interpreting data. One sample t-test and dependent sample t-test were used to test the hypothesis. The COVID-19 decreases the revenues drastically (r = 0.904, p = 0.000). This is leading to the severe sufferings of workers and owners of the restaurants both fast food and general hotels, the restaurants and convention centers. This deteriorating condition will further be on the increase of the government incentives providing policy needs of the most vulnerable groups in the country in the coming months. Otherwise this small and medium sector will go out of the economy for sine die. From this research, it was apparent that if the educational institutions are not re-opened, the infections rate curve wipe out and the vaccine is not made the restaurant business will not see any good news for booming their business. Coordinated administrative systems, reinforce of the health sector, economy, industry, agriculture and food security should be focused on under the new normal standard of life.

An Unhealthy Buying Pattern of the Peoples of Bangladesh: A Case of Tobacco & Beverage

Bangladesh is a comparatively small country but a densely populated country that has attracted several big companies to come and run their business including carbonated drinks and tobacco. International beverage brands like coca-cola, Pepsi, etc., and tobacco brands like British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International, etc. are doing great business in Bangladesh alongside local brands. Even though for business, these products are a must but when it comes to health issues these are such products that affect physically greatly. Matter of consciousness comes when the consumer is giving preference to such products more than essential consumables that are seen in Bangladesh. The paper discusses the consumer behavior of Bangladeshi consumers in choosing products in terms of health benefits. The paper is an original work of the author and all the secondary data were taken are given credits properly.

Business communication challenge of small enterprises in Bangladesh

The relative SME share in manufacturing value added is a lot extended and estimated to fluctuate between 45 to 50 per cent of totaling value-added generated with the aid of way of practicable of the manufacturing industries sector. Further as important sources of new agency introduction and growing new entrepreneurial talents, these industries furnish the much wished dynamism and vitality to the national economy. Implementation of poverty alleviation action programs and techniques are a systematic and continuous effort in Bangladesh. The object of the paper is to find the main communication challenges of small business in the Bangladesh and give a positive solution or recommendation to our reader through this paper. This report covers all the aspect of the small business to analyze and find the possible help to the reader about the real picture of the communication challenges of small enterprise in the Bangladesh. The limitation of this paper that I use only secondary data because of COVID-19 I Ire not able to interview any businesses hover make an authentic report I added information about the main challenges faced from the internet and have given appropriate reference to complete our paper. Finally, I tried to get some finding of the solution of the communication challenges faced by small business in Bangladesh.

Success Factors of Local Retail Apparel Clothing Brands in a Southeast Asian Market

Purpose—The purpose of the study is to explore and identify the factors that shape the success of local retail apparel clothing brands in a Southeast Asian market, Bangladesh. The study further offers relevant propositions on the basis of the results.
 
 Design/methodology/approach—Focus group methodology was used for data collection from the local retail clothing consumers of Dhaka and Chittagong divisions in Bangladesh. Framework analysis was applied for coding, categorizing, identifying the themes from the audiotapes and transcripts. The focus group transcripts were coded for common themes, issues, or ideas as expressed by the participants. Similar responses were identified from a prepared data matrix on the basis of the most frequent mentioned and less frequently mentioned responses. The research results were presented in a narrative to retain the authenticity of the local dialect and provide insight into the consumer behavior.
 
 Findings—Three critical factors were identified responsible for the success of local retail apparel clothing businesses in Bangladesh. The results revealed that the retail companies were heavily benefited by the adoption of intrinsic/extrinsic factors (product quality, price, and building retailers’ reputation and brand name) and culture specific marketing efforts (after sales service, easiness of online transaction, convenient location, store atmosphere, availability of outlet, promoting cultural events, and local celebrity endorsement). The companies were further found advantageous of the socio-economic factors of the country (increase of purchasing power, rapid expansion of tertiary academic institutions, family influence, and change of behavioral pattern). 
 
 Originality/value—The study enriches the consumer behavior literature related to local retail apparel branded companies and leaves implications to both the mangers and academics.

An extensive analysis of the health hazards for RMG workers in apparel sector of Bangladesh

Since the 1980s, the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh has encountered fast development and is at present positioned the second most elevated exporter on the planet after China. The RMG business has made a generous commitment to the economy and society by fundamentally giving a wellspring of work to around over 4,000,000 laborers, for the most part, ladies. This amazing development is subverted by the absence of safety in the factories and industrial accidents, which has defined the health hazards associated with the RMG division. These mishaps stunned the nation and the worldwide network. Because of these mishaps, the Government of Bangladesh and the advancement accomplices have prepared extraordinary help and made responsibilities to improve working conditions and worker's safety in the RMG business in Bangladesh. This paper is an endeavor to confirm the advancement and execution level of various activities taken by Bangladesh Government and the worldwide purchasers and retailers of RMG explicitly in the field of occupational health hazards, for example, health and hygiene, safety, other issues of health, hygiene and safety, welfare as well as OHS management system & training. A useful study was done straightforwardly on RMG laborers to rough their insight level on consistency factors and their comprehension and acknowledgment of the current acts of occupational health hazards and safety in RMG manufacturing plants.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 in 5 Neighboring Limited-Resource Countries: A Financial and Health Threat

Coronavirus Disease 2019 in 5 Neighboring Limited-Resource Countries: A Financial and Health Threat

Non-Performing Loan in Bangladesh: A Comparative Study on the Islamic Banks and Conventional Banks

The banking business is one of the booming businesses in Bangladesh. But at present, the sector is struggling to be on the growth path due to the growing proportion of Non-Performing Loan (NPL). The NPL has instigated a negative influence on the growth of Banking Business. This study has compared the severity of the impact of operational modes between two mainstream banking systems, traditional banking and Islamic banking, which may affect Non-performing loans. Other variables such as governance of the banks, bureaucracy, and size of the banks, the difference in reserve ratio, capital adequacy ratio, and interest rates have different impacts on NPL. We have explained the impact of the variables on the bank performance as per mainstream banking operational model. Finally, we have proposed some evocative measures through which the Non-performing loan can be minimized.

E-marketing Practice in Bangladesh: An Empirical Study on Trend of Use and Expansion in Business

E-Marketing is considered to be a process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to satisfy the needs and wants of a target market at a profit electronically. The widespread use of the internet has had an effect on much traditional marketing in Bangladesh, by prompting levels of competition amongst businesses and changing established marketing structures. This paper addresses the intension of the use of E-marketing strategies in business in Bangladesh. A total of 100 business owners were selected on a random sampling basis from Dhaka city in Bangladesh. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the required data. In analyzing data descriptive statistics were applied. The author has studied the published data to conceptualize the current scene of e-marketing progress in Bangladesh. They gathered data and information by using the primary and secondary methods. The study shows that in Bangladesh a praiseworthy rate of business owners have attained in online marketing and operating E-marketing tools for attracting qualified potential customers. The results also indicate that the policy implication to improve overall e-marketing and future prospects in the arena of E-marketing in Bangladesh. By developing and implementing E-marketing tools and techniques in business sectors in Bangladesh can take part in the implementation of the dream of digital Bangladesh.